The Air Force is on track to have its entire inventory of family housing privatized at its stateside bases in 2012, said Chief of Staff Gen. Norton Schwartz. “We are currently, if I am not mistaken, at around 47,000 privatized units and that will increase when we get done to somewhat over 52,000,” he told the House Appropriations Committee’s military construction panel in testimony. So far, satisfaction rates for USAF families residing in the privatized homes is generally higher, hovering “around the 80 percent category,” compared to “somewhere down in the 70s” for those in government-managed homes, said Schwartz. He acknowledged there “is some difference” in satisfaction levels for those in privatized units depending on the property-management firms. “Some are better than others,” he said. Service officials continue to stress to private management that “a customer-oriented focus” is “vitally important,” he told the lawmakers April 7.
The Air Force has embraced new technical approaches like open mission systems and rapid software updates for cutting-edge aircraft like the B-21 and Collaborative Combat Aircraft. Increasingly, though, the service is also working to apply these to its older, “legacy” aircraft, officials said this week.